Enter Fastolfe.
Fast. My gracious Sovereign, as I rode from Calais,
To hafte unto your

Coronation;
A letter was deliver'd to my hands,
Writ to your Grace from th' Duke of Burgundy.

Tal. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy, and thee !
I vow'd, base Knight, when I did meet thee next,
To tear the Garter from thy craven leg,
Which I have done ; because unworthily
Thou waft installed in that high degree.
Pardon, my Princely Henry, and the reft:
This daftard, at the battle of Poitiers,
When but in all I was six thousand strong,
And that the French were almost ten to one,
Before we met, or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trusty 'squire, did run away.
In which affault we lost twelve hundred men :
Myself and divers gentlemen beside
Were there surpriz'd, and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss ;
Or whether that such cowards'ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood, yea or no?

Glou. To say the truth , this fact was infamous,
And ill beseeming any common man;
Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader.

Tal. When first this Order was ordain'd, my lords,
Knights of the Garter were of noble birth;
Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage;
Such as were grown to Credit by the wars ;
Not fearing death, nor shrinking for distress,
But always resolute in most extremes.
He then, that is not furnish'd in this fort,
Doth but usurp the sacred name of Knight,
Prophaning this most honourable Order;
And should, if I were worthy to be judge,
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain
That doth presume to boast of gentle blood.

K. Henry.

K. Henry. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'st

thy doom : Be packing therefore, thou that wast a Knight; Henceforth we banish thee on pain of death. Exit Faft. And now, my lord Protector, view the letter Sent froin our uncle Duke of Burgundy. Glou. What means his Grace, that he hath chang'd

his stile ? No more but plain and bluntly, To the King. [Reading. Hath he forgot, he is his Sovereign ? Or doth this churlish superscription Portend some alteration in good will? What's here? I have upon especial canse, [Reads. Mou'd with compassion of my country's wreck, Together with the pitiful complaints of such as your opprefion feeds upon, Forsaken your pernicious faction, And join'd with Charles, the rightful King of France. O monstrous treachery! can this be fo? That in alliance, amity, and oaths, There should be found such false dissembling guile ?

K. Henry. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt? Glou. He doih, my lord, and is become your foe. K Henry. Is that the worst this letter doth contain? Glou. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes. K. Henry. Why then, lord Tolbot there shall talk

with him, And give him chastisement for this abuse. My lord, how say yon, are you not content ? Tal. Content, my Liege? yes : but that I am pre

vented, I should liave begg'd I might have been employ'd. K. Henry. Then gather strength, and march unto

him ftrait: Let him perceive how ill we brook his treason, And what offence it is to flout his friends.

Tal. I go, my lord, in heart defiring still You may behold confusion of your foes. [Exit Talbot. Vol. V.

R

SCENE

S CE N E II.

Enter Vernon and Basset.
RANT me the combat, gracious Sovereign.

Ver. G

too. York. This is my fervant; hear him, noble Prince. Som. And this is mine; sweet Henry, favour him. K. Henry. Be patient, lords, and give them leave

to speak. Say, gentlemen, what makes you thus exclaim ? And wherefore crave you combat? or with whom?

Ver. With him, my lord, for he hath done me wrong. Baf. And I with him, for he hath done me wrong. K. Henry. What is the wrong whereon you both

complain ?
First let me know, and then I'll answer

you.
Baf. Crossing the sea from England into France
This fellow here, with envious, carping tongue,
Upbraided me about the rose I wear;
Saying, the sanguine colour of the leaves
Did represent my master's blushing cheeks;
When stubbornly he did repugn the truth
About a certain question in the law,
Argu'd betwixt the Duke of York and him ;
With other vile and ignominious terms.
In confutation of which rude reproach,
And in defence of my lord's worthiness,
I crave the benefit of law of arms.

Ver. And that is my petition, noble lord;
For though he seem with forged quaint conceit
To set a gloss upon his bold intent,
Yet, know, my lord, I was provok'd by him;
And he first took exceptions at this badge,
Pronouncing, that the paleness of this flow'r
Bewray'd the faintness of my maiter's heart.

York. Will not this malice, Somerset, be left ?
Som. Your private grudge, my lord of York, will out,

Though

Though ne'er so cunningly you smother it.
K. Henry. Good lord! what madness rules in brain-

fick men !
When, for fo flight and frivolous a cause,
Such factious emulations shall arise!
Good coufins both of York and Somerset,
Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.

York. Let this diffention first be try'd by fight,
And then your Highness shall command a peace.

Som. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone;
Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then.

York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset.
Ver. Nay, let it rest, where it began at first.
Bas. Confirm it fo? mine honourable lord.

Glou. Confirm it so ? confounded be your strife,
And perish ye with your audacious prate ;
Presumptuous vassals ! are you not alham'd
With this immodeft clamorous outrage
To trouble and disturb the King, and us?'
And you, my lords, methinks,

you

do not well To bear with their perverse objections : Much less to take occasion from their mouths To raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves : Let me persuade you, take a better course. Exe. It grieves his Highness: good my lords, be friends.

(tants : K. Henry. Come hither you, that would be combaHenceforth I charge you, as you love our favour, Quite to forget this quarrel and the cause. And you, my lords ; 'remember where we are ; In France, amongst a fickle wavering nation: If they perceive diffention in our looks, And that within ourselves we disagree, How will their grudging stomachs be provok'd To wilful Disobedience, and Rebel? Beside, what infamy will there arise, When foreign Princes shall be certify'd, That for a toy, a thing of no regard,

King

King Henry's Peers and chief Nobility
Destroy'd themselves, and lost the realm of France ?
O, think upon the Conquest of my father,
My tender years, and let us not forego
That for a trifle, which was bought with blood.
Let me be Umpire in this doubtful strife:
I see no reason, if I wear this rose,
That any one should therefore be suspicious
I more encline to Sonierset, than York.
Both are my kinsmen, and I love them both.
As well they niay upbraid me with my Crown,

,
Because, forsooth, the King of Scots is crown'd.
But your discretions better can persuade,
Than I am able to instru& or teach:
And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
So let us still continue peace and love.
Cousin of York, we institute your Grace
To be our Regent in these parts of France :
And, good my lord of Somerset, unite
Your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot;
And, like true subje&s, sons of your progenitors,
Go chearfully together, and digest
Your angry choler on your enemies.
Ourself, my lord Protector, and the rest,
After some respite, will return to Calais ;
From thence to England; where I hope ere long
To be presented, by your victories,
With Charles, Alanson, and that trait'rous rout.

[Flourish. Exeunt. Manert York, Warwick, Exeter, and Vernon. War. My lord of York, I promise you, the King Prettily, methought, did play the orator.

York. And so he did; but yet I like it not, In that he wears the badge of Somerset.

War. Tulb, that was but his fancy, blame him not; I dare presume, fwect Prince, he thought no harm.

York. And, if I wis, he did.--But let it rest; Other affairs must now be managed.

[Exeunt.

Manet